While on paper this appears the easier game of the deuce for Harvard, Dartmouth has proven it can knock off anybody. It stunned Princeton 4-2 in early January back when the Tigers were on verge of becoming a nationally-ranked team.

The Crimson had little difficulty dispatching the Big Green 4-2 on Jan. 2, but with a playoff spot on the line, this game should be much tighter.

Skilled senior forwards Ryan Chaytors and Curtis Wilgosh lead the attack, which ranks a surprising fourth in the ECAC, averaging 3.19 goals per game.

"Just because Dartmouth has not done well doesn't mean we take them any less seriously," Storey said. "They are certainly not a given."

All season long, Harvard has discussed playing a game with the same high intensity and effort from the opening face-off to the final buzzer. Throughout its rocky season, those lapses in energy have made the difference in games.

If it wants to avoid the embarrassment of missing the playoffs in the 10th anniversary of its national championship, Harvard needs at least one win. To maximize its chances to go to Lake Placid, it needs two--a feat the Crimson has already proven it can do.

"We want to play with a high intensity and carry [that] into the playoffs," Prestifilippo said. "However, first things first and this weekend is the most important weekend of the year".

The Crimson won't get another chance.